Welcome to SILENT WARRIORS!
SILENT WARRIORS is an ongoing project provides a specialized training weekend, SILENT WARRIOR WEEKEND (SWW) and support services designed to help Deaf, deaf, Deafened, Hard-of-Hearing and even hearing men who are CODA (children of Deaf adults) to become stronger leaders, better family members, and more responsible citizens. Next SWW is scheduled on
The ManKind Project Houston and the USA Mankind Project sponsor SILENT WARRIORS and SILENT WARRIOR WEEKEND.
VISION
The vision of SILENT WARRIORS is to welcome all men who are Deaf, deaf, Deafened, hard-of-hearing, hearing men who are CODA (children of Deaf adults) and even hearing men to the SILENT WARRIOR WEEKEND.
MISSION
The mission of SILENT WARRIORS is two-folded:
• to make this specialized training a reality once every two years and welcome all men with signing or without signing.
• to be of service to the community at large, both as individual men with a renewed sense of passion and personal responsibility, and as communities of men working together to build sustainable relationships bridging between deaf and hearing peoples.
SILENT WARRIORS held its first training in November 2006. Since its inception, it has transformed the lives of 32 deaf and hard-of-hearing men from all walks of life in the United States. In addition, this number continues growing as SILENT WARRIOR WEEKEND continues to be offered to deaf, hard-of-hearing and even hearing men! This special project is sponsored by Men In Mission, Inc. better known as the ManKind Project Houston; a Houston based non-profit organization.
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
SILENT WARRIORS was born out of the ManKind Project, a largest peer-support network for men in the United States and 7 other geographical regions around the globe. This movement began in January 1985 and positively changed the lives of over 45,000 men and their families.
Long before the advent of this organization and its unique training, there were at least 2 hard-of-hearing men Chuck Daube (1994), Roger Dobitz (1996) and 3 Deaf men Christopher Sobczak (1998), Brian Determan (1999), Aaron Roupp (2004), who individually had completed the regular training, New Warrior Training Adventure (NWTA) sponsored by the ManKind Project. In addition, Greg Gondron, a hearing man who had completed this same training, is a certified ASL interpreter. He was the one who shared his vision with Roupp, envisioned holding a training weekend for Deaf/HH men.
In 2005, Roupp invited another deaf man to attend this regular training. There he met with other four men mentioned above, except Sobczak, which led the historic discussion by those men that guided the outstanding vision of holding of first weekend into a reality. This small group of same men agreed to champion this "specialized" training, which led the establishment of a unique training first known as Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing New Warrior Training Adventure. In November 2006, the original Deaf/HH NWTA was born on the Land of My Grandfathers (LOMG) near Houston, Texas.
While this special training initially was Gondron's vision, the heart and soul of this organization actually came from Roupp----which contributed to its growth and continued existence. This training name was changed in 2008 and it was officially known as Silent Warrior Weekend (SWW). The first, second, and third successive SWWs fueled the growing community of Deaf/HH men into what is now known as SILENT WARRIORS. Roupp is the founder of this current organizational title.
Initiated Deaf/HH men may choose to stay connected to this organization through future gatherings and staffing. Volunteers for managing its operation and future trainings led by a Community Liaison Leader run it. The leader, in turn, works with the ManKind Project-Houston as a collaborative team to provide much-needed resources for this unique training weekend. It also offers present and future activities to integrate D/HH men into their respective community at large and to bring them up to the national organization's standards.
From its inception, SILENT WARRIORS have transformed the lives of 33 deaf and hard-of-hearing men from all walks of life in the United States. In addition, this number continues growing as SILENT WARRIOR WEEKEND continues to be offered to deaf, hard-of-hearing and even hearing men! ManKind Project Houston better known as Men In Mission, Inc.; a based non-profit 501-(C) (3) corporation has been sponsoring this ongoing endeavor since its founding in 2006.